Brain Regions and Neurotransmitters Involved in Motivation The central power to what makes us a modern human is quite obviously

our modern brain, and although our modern brain is more powerful than most animals and other creatures of this earth, it is not invulnerable or perfect by any means. In addition, our powerful minds can play tricks on us or occasionally we may lack the motivation to complete a given task. In scientific terms, I am going to explain why this happens. When we are using our brain has to complete a task, certain nerve cells are consistently and rapidly relaying messages to one another; this is referred to as neuronal firing. There are also specific areas of the brain that regulate motivation and efficiency when performing a task. Therefore, our brain's computational power and motivation depends on both the rate of neuronal firing and how optimal the corresponding areas of the brain are functioning. GOING MORE IN DEPTH The brain regions involved in motivation are the striatum and the prefrontal cortex. In the prefrontal cortex, the neurotransmitters dopamine and histamine control motivation. Histamine allows for alertness and focus, while dopamine allows for more subtle forms of motivation. Dopamine acts to increase memory retention, coordination, and work efficiency. Dopamine in the striatum on the other hand triggers reward sensitivity, allowing us to stay motivated towards a reward. When we know there is a reason we are performing a task, and a reward for completing it, then we are less likely to stray from the task. That is how the striatum region of the brain, is involved with motivation; registering rewards and functionally working to support the motivation towards that reward. THE ALPHA-2-RECEPTOR AND ALERTNESS-DRIVEN MOTIVATION In order for a neurotransmitter to function in the brain or body, it must "lock in" with a receptor; like a key and a lock - that is exactly how neurotransmitters work. Alpha-2-receptors however are a paradox to this fact; alpha-2-receptors deactivate neurotransmitter release instead of activate it. Alpha-2-receptors decrease the level of the hormone and neurotransmitter noradrenaline. Noradrenaline is required for proper arousal and sensory stimulation, attention, focus and logical decision-making. Consequently, overactivation of this receptor causes loss of noradrenaline function, and thus less arousal, focus and attention. This may be one of the most crucial biochemical pathways involved in maintaining motivation, since loss of alertness (due to alpha-2-overactivity) will disallow the focus required for motivation. CONCLUSION Essentially, we have two main regions of the brain involved with motivation. The striatum and prefrontal cortex, and two neurotransmitters in those areas that control motivation; dopamine and histamine. Histamine to provide alertness and focus, dopamine to provide

coordination, efficiency, and to help us realize the importance of staying motivated to a given task. Then additionally, we have a specific neurotransmitter receptor involved with alertnessdriven motivation, the alpha-2-adrenergic receptor. The Four Major Neurotransmitters Neurotransmitters are powerful chemicals that regulate numerous physical and emotional processes such as mental performance, emotional states and pain response. Virtually all functions in life are controlled by neurotransmitters. They are the brain's chemical messengers.Interactions between neurotransmitters, hormones, and the brain chemicals have a profound influence on overall health and well-being. When our concentration and focus is good, we feel more directed, motivated, and vibrant. Unfortunately, if neurotransmitter levels are inadequate these energizing and motivating signals are absent and we feel more stressed, sluggish, and out-of-control. Proteins, minerals, vitamins,carbohydrates, and fats are the essential nutrients that make up your body. Proteins are the essential components of muscle tissue, organs, blood, enzymes, antibodies, and neurotransmitters in the brain. Your brain needs the proper nutrients everyday in order to manufacture proper levels of the neurotransmitters that regulate your mood. Neurotransmitter Effects: Control the appetite center of the brain Stimulates Corticotropin Releasing Factor, Adrenalcorticotropic Hormone, & Cortisol Regulate male and female sex hormone Regulates sleep Modulate mood and thought processes Controls ability to focus, concentrate, and remember things The Mind Body Connection The chemistry of our bodies can alter, and be altered by our every thought and feeling. Our bodies and our minds are truly interconnected; the health of one depends on the health of the other. Many biochemical neurotransmitter imbalances result in mental health symptoms such as:

Adrenal dysfunction Blood sugar imbalance Food and Chemical allergy Heavy Metal Toxicity Hormone imbalance NutritionalDeficiency Serotonin/Dopamine/Noradrenalin imbalance Stimulant and drug intoxication Under or overactive thyroid

Neurotransmitter Imbalances Disrupted communication between the brain and the body can have serious effects to ones health both physically and mentally. Depression, anxiety and other mood disorders are thought to be directly related to imbalances with neurotransmitters. The four major neurotransmitters that regulate mood are Serotonin, Dopamine, GABA and Norepinephrine. The Inhibitory System is the brains braking system, it prevents the signal from continuing. The inhibitory system slows things down. Serotonin and GABA are examples of inhibitory neurotransmitters. GABA (Gamma amino butyric acid) GABA is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. It helps the neurons recover after transmission, reduces anxiety and stress.It regulates norepinephrine, adrenaline, dopamine, and serotonin, it is a significant mood modulator. Serotonin imbalance is one of the most common contributors to mood problems. Some feel it is a virtual epidemic in the United States. Serotonin is key to our feelings of happiness and very important for our emotions because it helps defend against both anxiety and depression. You may have a shortage of serotonin if you have a sad depressed mood, anxiety, panic attacks, low energy, migraines, sleeping problems, obsession or compulsions, feel tense and irritable, crave sweets, and have a reduced interest in sex. Additionally, your hormones and Estrogen levels can affect serotonin levels and this may explain why some women have pre-menstrual and menopausal mood problems. Moreover, daily stress can greatly reduce your serotonin supplies. The Excitatory Neurotransmitter System can be related to your car's accelerator. It allows the signal to go. When the excitatory neurotransmitter system is in drive your system gets all reved up for action. Without a functioning inhibitory system to put on the brakes, things (like your mood) can get out of control Epinephrine also known as adrenaline is a neurotransmitter and hormone essential to metabolism. It regulates attention, mental focus, arousal, and cognition. It also inhibits insulin excretion and raises the amounts of fatty acids in the blood. Epinephrine is made from norepinephrine and is released from the adrenal glands. Low levels have been can result in

fatigue, lack of focus, and difficulty losing weight. High levels have been linked to sleep problems, anxiety and ADHD. Dopamine is responsible for motivation, interest, and drive. It is associated with positive stress states such as being in love, exercising, listening to music, and sex . When we don't have enough of it we don't feel alive, we have difficulty initiating or completing tasks, poor concentration, no energy, and lack of motivation. Dopamine also is involved in muscle control and function. Low Dopamine levels can drive us to use drugs (self medicate), alcohol, smoke cigarettes, gamble, and/or overeat. High dopamine has been observed in patients with poor GI function, autism, mood swings, psychosis, and children with attention disorders. Glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain. It is required for learning and memory. Low levels can lead to tiredness and poor brain activity. Increased levels of glutamate can cause death to the neurons (nerve cells) in the brain. Dysfunction in glutamate levels are involved in many neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's, Huntington's, and Tourette's. High levels also contribute to Depression, OCD, and Autism. Histamine is most commonly known for it's role in allergic reactions but it is also involved in neurotransmission and can affect your emotions and behavior as well. Histamine helps control the sleep-wake cycle and promotes the release of epinephrine and norepinephrine. High histamine levels have been linked to obsessive-compulsive tendencies, depression, and headaches.Low histamine levels can contribute to paranoia, low libido, fatigue, and medication sensitivities. Norepinephrine also known as noradrenaline is a excitatory neurotransmitter that is produced by the adrenal medulla or made from dopamine. High levels of norepinephrine are linked to anxiety, stress, high blood pressure, and hyperactivity. Low levels are linked to lack of energy, focus, and motivation. PEA is an excitatory neurotransmitter made from phenylalanine. It is important in focus and concentration. High levels are observed in individuals experiencing "mind racing", sleep problems, anxiety, and schizophrenia. Low PEA is associated with difficulty paying attention or thinking clearly, and in depression. Neurotransmitter Levels Neurotransmitter levels can now be determined by a simple and convenient urine test collected at home. Knowing your neurotransmitter levels can help you correct a problem today or prevent problems from occuring in the future. The Role of Neurotransmitters in Mood and Motivation Here I will describe the basic relationships between mood, motivation, and neurotransmitters as an extension of the model of mood and motivation offered in my first post to this blog. I will not

offer many links to research on well-established phenomena, such as the role of 5-HT serontonin in mood. 5-HT serotonin is the proxy for mood in my models. It is the neurotransmitter reponsible for the negatively- accelerated curve that represents mood-related net motivation and feelings of positive affect. This involves the relationship between objective and subjective weights on gains and losses in the risk-averse (80% of people) genotypes. Incidentally, risk neutral curves are linear and risk seeking positively hyperbolicly accelerating. As previously mentioned, the subjective values of both gains and losses increase as serotonin decreases, and this effect is reflected in the changes that occur in dopaminergic activity. More specifically, there is an inverse relationship between serotonergic and dopaminergic activity. As dopamine is well-established as the facilitating neuromodulator of arousal, the Yerkes-Dodson law demonstrates the relationship between dopamine functioning and net motivation(task performance) with some precision. Hence, the relationship between serotonin and dopamine as it relates to motivation is also well established. It should also be noted that this relationship also underlies increased severity of negative emotional responses when dopamine is increased without antecedant increases in serotonin. This is witnessed in those who consume stimulants such as cocaine, but can be attenuated at times by the increases in serotonin, in a reverse of the typical cause/effect relationship. When negative affect is triggered in this case, emotional responses such as anger will sometimes lead to violent expression. The effect of relative dopamine levels or genotypic sensitivity can be modeled by the addition of a multiplier to theequation for net motivation (call it "d"). To move onto the roles of other neurotransmitters, opiods are proxies for gains, with decreased arousal; decreased GABA for losses for fear/anxiety (expected risks/losses), with concomitant increased arousal (dopamine). It is by now clear what the roles of the above neurotransmitters are and how they interact to determine mood and motivation. BRAIN FUNCTIONS TO MOTIVATE EXERCISE Transmissions in the Brain Neurons, neurotransmitters and receptors play a vital role in the functioning of the brain. Think of them as emails through a computer. Neurons are the computer, electrically powering the email. Neurotransmitters are responsible for chemical transmission inside the cell body of the neuron. They are the email program that creates the message. When you click "send," the message is sent to the receptors.

Breakdown of Neurotransmitters Neurotransmitters are released from the cell body of neurons to the ends where they are stored in vesicles. When an impulse causes those vesicles to burst, the neurotransmitters---which are full of neurologic information---are released and travel across a junction called the synapse to receptor molecules. They may transmit to other nerves, muscles, organs or tissues. Neurotransmitter Dopamine Dopamine is responsible for assertiveness, immune functions, mood regulation, movement coordination, pleasure, learning and emotional stability. Proper dopamine levels help motivate people to take action. You can increase your levels by getting proper amounts of rest, limiting alcohol, caffeine and sugar, and eating fresh fruits and vegetables. Because of its role in affecting coordination and mental readiness, it is partly responsible for Parkinson's disease and attention deficits. Neurotransmitter Norepinephrine Norepinephrine works to increase heart rate and metabolic rate, and it is responsible for motivation, alertness and concentration. It works alongside dopamine to improve mood, and it is often used in anti-depressant medications. Amino Acids The amino acids tryptophan and tyrosine have calming and exciting effects, respectively. Once consumed through foods, they work to cross the blood-brain barrier. Tryptophan's crossing will cause calming and sleepiness. As tyrosine makes this transition, it is broken down into dopamine and norepinephrine, thus improving alertness, mood, motivation and coordination. How it Ties Together to Motivate Exercise Consuming tyrosine through the diet adds to the natural levels of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain. These chemicals work together to improve motivation to accomplish challenges in life. Because they also improve coordination, metabolic rate, heart rate and alertness, they aid in motivating physical activity. Where is Tyrosine Found? According to The Franklin Institute's website, almonds, avocados, bananas, dairy products, lima beans, pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds are all good sources of tyrosine. Many protein sources contain this amino acid. It can also be found in fish, wheat and oats.

References http://quantimind.blogspot.com/2010/02/mood-motivation-and-neurotransmitters.html http://www.livestrong.com/article/240431-brain-functions-to-motivateexercise/#ixzz2OWWQmj4y http://www.integrativepsychiatry.net/neurotransmitter.html http://voices.yahoo.com/brain-regions-neurotransmitters-involved-motivation11208100.html?cat=5 (Published by Dan N Gregory)